Aerospace & Defense Core Materials Market
Aerospace & Defense Core Materials Market by Type (Foam, Balsa, and Honeycomb), Application (Airframe Manufacturers, Aerostructures Manufacturers, Research & Development, Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)), and Region - Forecast to 2030
OVERVIEW
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
The aerospace and defense core materials market is projected to increase from about USD 0.47 billion in 2025 to roughly USD 0.88 billion by 2030, which works out to a CAGR of 13.3%. A lot of this growth is coming from the steady push toward lighter aircraft structures and the broader use of composites in both commercial and military programs. As more aircraft are built with advanced wings, interior panels, and other components that rely on honeycomb and foam cores, the demand for these materials keeps rising. There is also a noticeable shift as newer drones, space vehicles, and defense platforms are being designed with lighter, tougher materials, which adds to the momentum. On top of that, manufacturers are investing in cleaner and more efficient production methods, thereby helping expand the use of core materials across different parts of the industry.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
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By RegionThe Asia Pacific region is expected to register the highest CAGR of 14.1% during forecast period.
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By TypeBy type, the foam type is expected to register the highest CAGR of 13.6% during forecast period.
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By ApplicationBy application, the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) segment is expected to dominate the market.
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Competitive Landscape - Key PlayersGurit Holding AG, Diab Group, 3A Composites Core Materials, Armacell Core Materials, and Hexcel Corporation were identified as some of the star players in the aerospace and defense core material market, given their strong market share and product footprint.
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Competitive Landscape - StartupsNanoFract and steptics, among others, have distinguished themselves among startups and SMEs by securing strong footholds in specialized niche areas, underscoring their potential as emerging market leaders
The aerospace and defense core materials market has been seeing steady growth, mainly because aircraft programs today rely much more on lightweight and durable composite structures than they did a decade ago. Honeycomb and foam cores are being used in a wider range of parts, including wings, tails, interior panels, radomes, and even some load-bearing sections. Hence, the overall demand keeps rising. Defense platforms are going through similar changes, especially as newer designs focus on reducing weight, improving thermal performance, and handling tougher operating conditions. Another factor pushing the market forward is the growing number of upgrade and modernization projects across different air forces, along with the rapid rise of UAVs and space-related programs. Each of these applications depends heavily on materials that can deliver high strength without adding unnecessary weight. At the same time, manufacturers have been working on better, more recyclable foam cores and more consistent honeycomb structures, which have made adoption easier. With ongoing investments in advanced composites and continued pressure to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, the use of core materials in aerospace and defense is likely to keep expanding in the years ahead.
TRENDS & DISRUPTIONS IMPACTING CUSTOMERS' CUSTOMERS
Changes in customer trends or disruptions impact consumers’ businesses. These shifts impact the revenues of end users. Consequently, the revenue impact on end users is expected to affect the revenues of aerospace & defense core material market suppliers, which, in turn, impacts the revenues of aerospace & defense core material manufacturers.
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
MARKET DYNAMICS
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Growing use of lightweight composite structures in next-gen aircraft and defense platforms
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Rising need to improve fuel efficiency and reduce aircraft emissions
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High cost of aerospace-grade honeycomb and advanced foam cores
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Strict certification requirements slowing material adoption
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Rapid growth in UAVs, eVTOL aircraft, and space exploration materials
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Increasing demand for recyclable and thermoplastic core solutions
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Developing cost-effective core materials that still meet aerospace standards
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Long qualification cycles delaying commercialization of new materials
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
Driver: Growing use of lightweight composite structures in next-gen aircraft and defense platforms
One of the key factors pushing the aerospace and defense core materials market forward is the steady shift toward lighter aircraft structures. New aircraft programs, whether commercial jets, fighter aircraft, or long-range drones, are relying more on composite panels, and these panels almost always need honeycomb or foam cores to get the right balance of weight and strength. Every time manufacturers try to improve fuel efficiency or extend range, they end up using more of these materials. This growing focus on lighter but stronger components has made core materials an essential part of modern aerospace design.
Restraint: High cost of aerospace-grade honeycomb and advanced foam cores
Even with rising demand, the market still faces a few hurdles. The cost of aerospace-grade honeycomb and high-performance foams can be quite high, mainly because these materials have to meet strict safety, performance, and certification requirements. Many of them also go through complex manufacturing steps, which adds to the expense. For some programs, especially smaller or cost-sensitive defense projects, this can slow down adoption or limit the amount of core material used.
Opportunity: Rapid growth in UAVs, eVTOL aircraft, and space exploration materials
There is a lot of room for growth coming from emerging segments like UAVs, eVTOL aircraft, and space systems. These platforms depend heavily on lightweight structures because they need to maximize endurance, battery performance, or launch efficiency. As more companies enter these fields and new designs move from prototypes to production, the demand for advanced core materials is expected to grow quickly. Space exploration, in particular, needs materials that are strong, light, and stable in tough environments, making this a promising area for future expansion.
Challenge: Developing cost-effective core materials that still meet aerospace standards
The main challenge for manufacturers is figuring out how to create core materials that stay affordable without losing the performance levels required in aerospace applications. The sector has very strict standards for fire safety, strength, durability, and long-term reliability, so cutting corners is not an option. At the same time, customers are asking for lower costs and faster production cycles. Balancing all of these needs—performance, price, and manufacturability—remains one of the toughest problems for companies working in this space.
aerospace-defense-core-materials-market: COMMERCIAL USE CASES ACROSS INDUSTRIES
| COMPANY | USE CASE DESCRIPTION | BENEFITS |
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Uses honeycomb and high-performance foam cores in wings, tail sections, interior panels, and fuselage composite structures. | Lighter structures, improved fuel efficiency, higher durability, longer service life. |
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Integrates Nomex/aluminum honeycomb and structural foam cores in floor panels, nacelles, radomes, and control surfaces. | Better structural stability, reduced maintenance, strong impact resistance, improved flight performance. |
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Applies advanced core materials in fighter jets, UAVs, and space platforms for thermal insulation, vibration damping, and load-bearing panels. | Higher mission endurance, improved thermal control, better payload efficiency, strong performance under extreme conditions. |
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Uses lightweight cores in stealth aircraft, drones, and defense systems to meet weight, acoustic, and thermal requirements. | Reduced radar detectability, enhanced maneuverability, better platform efficiency, improved survivability. |
Logos and trademarks shown above are the property of their respective owners. Their use here is for informational and illustrative purposes only.
MARKET ECOSYSTEM
The aerospace and defense core materials market is supported by a close network of manufacturers, raw material suppliers, distributors, and major aircraft producers. Companies such as Gurit, Armacell, Diab, Hexcel, and 3A Composites play a central role in producing the core materials used in aircraft structures. Their work depends on suppliers like BASF, Covestro, LyondellBasell, INEOS, and Clariant, which provide the essential chemicals and resins needed to make these products. Distributors then help move these materials to customers across different regions. At the end of the chain are the major aerospace and defense companies, including Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and GE Aerospace, which rely on these materials to build lighter, stronger, and more efficient aircraft and defense systems.
Logos and trademarks shown above are the property of their respective owners. Their use here is for informational and illustrative purposes only.
MARKET SEGMENTS
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
Aerospace & Defense Core Material Market, By Type
The honeycomb segment accounted for the largest share of the aerospace and defense core materials market in 2024. This segment's growth is attributed to the growing dependence of aircraft builders on honeycomb structures for many airframe parts, especially in areas where weight savings make a noticeable difference. These cores are used in everything from interior panels and floor sections to control surfaces and nacelles, adding up the volume quickly. Over the past few years, as more programs shifted toward composite designs, honeycomb has remained the preferred option because it offers a mix of strength, stiffness, and low weight that other materials have a hard time matching. With new aircraft platforms entering production and older fleets continuing to be upgraded, its demand is expected to stay strong through the year.
Aerospace & Defense Core Material Market, By Application
The OEM segment is expected to remain the leading user of core materials in the aerospace and defense market over the next several years. This mainly comes down to the nature of their work, with most of the honeycomb, foam, and other core materials being built directly into the aircraft during production. Since OEMs are responsible for major structures like the wings, fuselage sections, and a large part of the interior, they naturally require more of these materials than anyone else in the value chain. Their dominance is also supported by the steady introduction of new aircraft models and the growing emphasis on reducing weight to boost fuel efficiency. Modern aircraft designs rely heavily on composite components, which increases the amount of core material that goes into each plane. With production activity rising and defense programs moving toward more advanced, lightweight platforms, OEMs are expected to continue driving most of the demand for core materials.
REGION
Asia Pacific to be fastest-growing region in global aerospace and defense core materials market during forecast period
Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing regional market for aerospace and defense core materials over the forecast period. Much of this growth is tied to rising aircraft production, expanding defense programs, and a stronger push toward composite manufacturing in countries like China, India, Japan, and South Korea. As these markets continue to build up their aerospace capabilities, the need for lightweight core materials is increasing quickly, giving the region a clear lead in growth.
aerospace-defense-core-materials-market: COMPANY EVALUATION MATRIX
Gurit emerges as a Star player in the aerospace and defense core materials market, backed by its strong market presence, broad product offering, and deep integration in key sectors such as wind energy, marine, and aerospace. In contrast, Euro Composites stands out as an Emerging Leader, gaining rapid traction through its specialized expertise in high-quality honeycomb core materials and its growing ability to deliver customized, precision-engineered solutions. Together, these companies illustrate the market’s balance between established industry leaders and fast-advancing innovators.
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
KEY MARKET PLAYERS
- Gurit Holding AG (Switzerland)
- Diab Group (Sweden)
- 3A Composites Core Materials (Switzerland)
- Armacell Core Materials (Luxembourg)
- Evonik Industries AG (Germany)
- Sicomin Epoxy Systems (France)
- Lantor Composites (Netherlands)
- CoreLite Europe (Spain)
- Hexcel Corporation (US)
MARKET SCOPE
| REPORT METRIC | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Market Size in 2024 (Value) | USD 0.42 Billion |
| Market Forecast in 2030 (value) | USD 0.88 Billion |
| Growth Rate | CAGR of 13.3% from 2025 to 2030 |
| Years Considered | 2022-2030 |
| Base Year | 2024 |
| Forecast Period | 2025-2030 |
| Units Considered | Value (USD Billion), Volume (Kiloton) |
| Report Coverage | Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends. |
| Segments Covered |
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| Regions Covered | North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa |
WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU: aerospace-defense-core-materials-market REPORT CONTENT GUIDE
DELIVERED CUSTOMIZATIONS
We have successfully delivered the following deep-dive customizations:
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RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
- January 2024 : Gurit launched two different products. One is Gurit Kerdyn FR+, a PET recycled structural foam with Class C – EN13501 test and certification. It has good compressive strength and stiffness. The other one is Balsaflex Lite, which is a next-generation balsa and PET core material with a novel coating system that reduces resin uptake during infusion processes.
- October 2023 : Gurit announced major long-term supply contracts with two leading OEMs, expected to generate substantial net sales over the contract periods.
- May 2022 : In May 2022, 3A Composites Core Materials acquired SOLVAY’s TegraCore PPSU resin-based foam, which became part of the portfolio under AIREX TegraCore. Both companies agreed to continue their collaboration to further develop AIREX TegraCore.
Table of Contents
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Methodology
The study involved two major activities in estimating the current size of the aerospace & defense core materials market. Exhaustive secondary research was performed to collect information on the market, the peer market, and the parent market. The next step was to validate these findings, assumptions, and sizing with industry experts across the value chain through primary research. Both top-down and bottom-up approaches were employed to estimate the total market size. After that, market breakdown and data triangulation procedures were used to determine the extent of market segments and sub-segments.
Secondary Research
Secondary sources referred to for this research study include financial statements of companies offering aerospace & defense core materials and information from various trade, business, and professional associations. Secondary research has been used to obtain critical information about the industry’s value chain, the total pool of key players, market classification, and segmentation according to industry trends to the bottom-most level and regional markets. The secondary data was collected and analyzed to arrive at the overall size of the core material market, which was validated by primary respondents.
Primary Research
Extensive primary research was conducted after obtaining information regarding the core material market scenario through secondary research. Several primary interviews were conducted with market experts from both the demand and supply sides across major countries of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Primary data was collected through questionnaires, emails, and telephonic interviews. The primary sources from the supply side included various industry experts, such as Chief X Officers (CXOs), Vice Presidents (VPs), Directors from business development, marketing, product development/innovation teams, and related key executives from core material industry vendors; system integrators; component providers; distributors; and key opinion leaders. Primary interviews were conducted to gather insights such as market statistics, data on revenue collected from the products and services, market breakdowns, market size estimations, market forecasting, and data triangulation. Primary research also helped in understanding the various trends related to technology, application, vertical, and region. Stakeholders from the demand side, such as CIOs, CTOs, CSOs, and installation teams of the customer/end users who are using the aerospace & defense core materials, were interviewed to understand the buyer’s perspective on the suppliers, products, component providers, and their current usage of aerospace & defense core materials and future outlook of their business which will affect the overall market.
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Market Size Estimation
The research methodology used to estimate the size of the core material market includes the following details. The market sizing of the market was undertaken from the demand side. The market was upsized based on procurements and modernizations of aerospace & defense core materials in different applications at a regional level. Such procurements provide information on the demand aspects of the aerospace & defense core materials industry for each application. For each application, all possible segments of the core material market were integrated and mapped.
Data Triangulation
After arriving at the overall aerospace & defense core materials market size, using the market size estimation processes explained above, the market was split into several segments and sub-segments. In order to complete the whole market engineering process and arrive at the exact statistics of each market segment and sub-segment, the data triangulation and market breakdown procedures were employed, wherever applicable. The data was triangulated by studying various factors and trends from both the demand and supply sides, mainly from the wind energy, aerospace & defense, marine, automotive & transportation, and other end-use industries.
Market Definition
The term "aerospace & defense core materials" describes a wide variety of materials that are used as essential parts of composite structures in a variety of sectors. These substances function as the inner or central core of sandwich composite structures, offering crucial characteristics including insulation, rigidity, and strength while keeping a thin profile. Core materials, which are commonly classified into categories like foam, balsa wood, and honeycomb structures, are widely used in a variety of industries, including construction, wind energy, aerospace, marine, automotive, and industrial manufacturing. The market for aerospace & defense core materials is always changing due to advances in materials science and the increased emphasis on lightweight and sustainable solutions. This is because a variety of end-use sectors are seeing a growing need for high-performance and affordable alternatives.
Key Stakeholders
- Core materials manufacturers and distributors
- Key application segments for composites
- Research and consulting firms
- R&D institutions
- Associations and government institutions
- Environmental support agencies
Report Objectives
- To analyze and forecast the size of the aerospace & defense core materials market, in terms of value and volume
- To provide detailed information about the key factors (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges) influencing the growth of the market
- To analyze and forecast the market based on type and end-use industry
- To analyze and project the market based on four regions, namely, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Rest of World (RoW)
- To strategically analyze the micro markets concerning individual growth trends, prospects, and their contribution to the overall market
- To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders and provide a competitive landscape for market leaders
- To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their market shares and core competencies
Available Customizations
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The following customization options are available for the report:
Product Analysis
- Product matrix, which gives a detailed comparison of the product portfolio of each company
Regional Analysis
- Further breakdown of Rest of APAC aerospace & defense core materials market
- Further breakdown of Rest of Europe aerospace & defense core materials market
- Further breakdown of Rest of world aerospace & defense core materials market
Company Information
- Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to 10)
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Growth opportunities and latent adjacency in Aerospace & Defense Core Materials Market